“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” - Arthur O'Shaughnessy

Thursday, June 30, 2016

I'm A Duff: Barbra

Today's DUFF story was written by one of the best people I've ever had the privilege of knowing, my friend Barbra. Barbra or as I so very fondly call her - my Barbie Doll - and I have been friends since we were five. I don't know if she's really thought about it but that means that we've been friends for 21 years!!

My dearest Barbie is one of the kindest and most genuine people you could ever know so when I asked her to write this I was honored when she agreed.

I hope you all love her story as much as I do and I hope you love her even half as much as me.

Thank you Barbie Doll, I love you lady :)

"So when Kayleigh first asked me to do this I was like ‘Yeah I'll do that for you no problem.’ Then I realized I have never read the book and I have never really heard about it so I decided to go online and watch a quick clip of what the movie is about. Which by the way makes me now want to watch the movie.

After watching the movie trailer of what a DUFF is I realized that is kind of how I felt through high school and through college. I have never been the outgoing kind of person. I have always been very shy when it comes to people. I am always friendly to people and try to be nice to everyone. In high school I did some sports but I wasn’t super athletic. I wasn’t the prettiest person in school. I wasn’t one of the popular people but I had quite a few friends. High school was a little rough for me with everything that was going on with my family life. The summer before my junior year of high school my brother and I were put in foster care. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world but adjusting to a new family was a little difficult. The family I moved in with lived outside of town and most of my friends that I hung out with lived in town or had their driver’s license. I wasn’t always allowed to go hang with my friends because they were a protective and kind of religious family. So, I kind of felt like I lost touch with some of my friends at the time because we couldn’t hang out as much.

After living with them for almost a year they decided they no longer wanted to have a foster care. They were wanting to move out of state and because we had not been adopted they needed to have us move to a different home. To me this was devastating; I had just figured out how to fit in with the family and now I was being up-rooted again. Little did I know I would have a little more freedom and be able to hang with my friends more and do more after school activities. We ended up staying with this family and getting adopted in. The family legal adopted my brother and even though they didn’t legally adopt me I’m still considered their child. Thinking about my family and group of friends I am most certainly the DUFF. Even my family members are more outgoing than I am. This includes adopted and biological family. I am the one who tries to keep the peace between everyone. I’m the one who keeps quiet and doesn’t want to bother anyone with my problems or feelings. When it comes to my friends and family I try to make sure to be there for them and do whatever I can for them whenever they need it. I always have an ear to listen and help them through whatever I can. Because, to be honest, without them around I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am.

The one thing that I have to say that I love about myself or that motivates me the most when I need it is how close I am with my family and friends. Like I said before I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am without all of them. With everything I have been through my entire life this is what has gotten me through it all. Knowing that I have a support system and people that love me and care for me. Knowing that I have friends like Kayleigh, who I have known since kindergarten, but could still call if I needed someone to talk to any time day or night and knowing that she knows that it goes both ways.

I love that I am able to create relationships with people that will last a lifetime even if I am a quiet and shy person. I love that I am friendly and able to make friendships. I may not be the prettiest or the best looking but I know that my friendship means something to people.

For my song that motivates me I would say Hearbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson.